Draco's Revenge
by TerraRini
Summary: Draco Malfoy doesn't like getting slapped by a girl, let alone a filthy mudblood.
1. Chapter 1: Ambush

Dangerous Moments:

The moment when her hand had collided with his cheek, Hermione had felt all the anger and frustration over Buckbeak's trial well up inside of her, and it had felt so good to releive some of it against the pale soft flesh of Draco's face. When she'd drawn her wand, she was totally prepared for the expulsion she was sure would come, but he'd run like the coward he was, and left her feeling the proud champion. She had returned her attention to Harry and Ron, who were both stunned by her violent outburst.

With everything that had followed, Hermione had put the event out of her mind. She'd forgotten about the satisfying feeling of the slap she'd delivered to Malfoy's cheek, but he hadn't.

He watched as the days went by, keeping an eye on the mudblood, eagerly waiting for a chance to strike back at her. Finally one night about a week after the incident, he saw her studying alone in the library after supper, and with a grin, he'd gone to collect Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione started the walk back to the dormitory. She carried a stack of books in her arms, and her bag over her shoulder, her wand in the pocket of her robes. Malfoy stepped out from behind one of the statues that line the halls, bringing her half slumped walk to a halt. He had a smirk on his face as he spoke. "Going somewhere Granger?" he asked, as she rolled her eyes and made to walk around him, but he moved with her, bringing her once more to a standstill. "Did you think I'd let you off after you slapped me, you filthy mudblood? You're gonna pay for that." He stepped toward her, and she tried to drop her books to get to her wand, only to find that Crabbe and Goyle had come up behind her, and grabbed her hands as she moved, pulling her with them into a darkened classroom lit only by the moonlight that shined through the windows.

Crabbe and Goyle began beating her, large hard fists pummeling into her stomach, into her side, her whole body, while Draco watched from the front of the classroom, sitting quietly at the desk, idly observing as he fiddled with his wand, debating what to do with her after they were done. At last, after what seemed like an eternity to Hermione, Malfoy spoke. "That's enough...I think the filth has learned most of her lesson. Why don't you guys bring her here and set her on the desk, so I can look at her..."

They lifted her from the floor and carried her over, setting her up on the desk facing him. Her robes lay in a heap on the floor, and her school uniform was crumpled around her body, the shirt askew on her shoulder, her skirt revealing the long slender legs that Ron so admired. Draco looked up at them, and nodded. "Head on back to the dormitories, guys, I'll meet up with you..." He grinned evilly at them and they left smiling.

"They left your pretty face alone, Granger... too bad really, I'd have liked to see the look on Weasley's face when he saw you... " He looked her up and down, debating, because while he'd watched them beating her, he'd grown excited, and he was irked that it would be a mudblood who aroused him this way, but there was nothing for it. Her wand, he noted, had been removed during the fight, and lay on the floor halfway across the room. He leaned toward her as she sat, still in a state of confusion and trying to think through the pain.

She pulled away from him and started to turn to slide off the desk, only to find her process blocked by his body. His wand pressed into her robes. "I'm not done with you.." He whispered, as he cast the incarcerous spell, and ropes flew out of no where and bound Hermione's hands to the desk, pulling her back so she lay with her legs dangling over the edge.

He turned, casting Colloportus and Silencio, locking the door and eliminating his fear that her screams might be heard, before turning back to her, sliding his hand along her inner thigh until he pressed against the cloth of her underpants, sliding a finger around them and into her.

She cried out, "NO! No...no don't...oh you evil...you foul..." She mumbled as he jabbed his wand into one of the already purple bruises in her side.

"Oh Granger..." He said, before casting "Diffindo" at her panties, causing them to practically dissintigrate from her body. She squirmed, trying to

He took his time, as if he had no fear of being caught, and when he was done with her, she lay limply, tears dripping from her cheek onto the tear dampened papers on the desk beneath her. He unbound her, casting a spell to get rid of the ropes which had left red marks on her wrists as he emptied himself inside of her. "It's been a pleasure, mudblood.." He whispered into her ear as he lifted his spells and left the room.

She rolled over onto her side, gasping in pain as a whole new set of bruises came in contact with the surface of the desk. When she finally managed to stand she staggered to where her wand lay, looking back at the mess in the front of the room, thoroughly disgusted with Malfoy, and his friends, but even more so with herself. She felt filthy, violated, she wanted to hurl, but her quick mind, once she'd managed to steady her feet, kicked in and began the rush of thoughts. She waved her wand and cast spells to return the room to the way it had looked before they had entered. She wanted so desperately to tell someone...Ron and Harry would only cause more trouble by trying to hurt Malfoy and his goons, and she was afraid to go to Dumbledore...what sort of revenge would the Malfoys exact on her if Draco were expelled? Her parents could be in danger. So she cleaned herself up as best she could with her wand, pulled her wrinkled robes on, fetched her books and bag from the door where Malfoy must have dropped them, and left the darkened classroom.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hospital Ward

A/N: Just to clarify, yes, the last chapter was the beating and sexual assault of 14 year old Hermione by a 14 year old Draco. I know they are young, but when I started writing it sort of inserted itself into their 3rd year... I could not see Draco taking being hit by a girl in front of his friends without some sort of repercussions, and sexuality is beginning to present itself more and more at that age, something that is not really as obvious in the books as I remember it being in my junior high/high school years. I wanted to include that in the story. Please, if you are offended by the event, do not continue reading. I do not know if I will write more into the story as I go. This story is Rated M because even though it was not very descriptive, the implication of it is enough that I do not feel younger readers should read it. Please review if you do read!

Chapter 2

Hermione staggered down the corridor, gasping under the weight of her books, her mind not thinking clearly enough to cast the spell to lighten them as she passed painting after painting of staring characters in portraits. She reached the top of one set of steps, her chest heaving with the effort of the climb, before the haze of pain became too much to bear, and she fell forward onto her knees. "Please, help.." She said, looking up to the portrait of a former teacher on the wall above her. "Professor Mc...Mc...Gonagall..." She mumbled as she collapsed.

What seemed like both hours and seconds later, Hermione felt the gentle shake of Professor McGonagall's hand on her shoulder. "Miss Granger...Hermione...?"

She opened her eyes to look into the concerned gaze of Minerva McGonagall, and sighed in relief.

"What's happened to you? What's wrong?" The teacher asked, for Hermione had cleaned up the obvious signs of her attack already, all that remained were the bruises that lay under her clothing.

"Please." She coughed. "Don't... make me..." she whimpered as Minerva helped her to sit up. "Don't make me t...t...tel...tell..." She sobbed.

Minerva tsked. She wanted to call for the headmaster, and the healer. "I'll call Madam Pomfrey.." She said softly as she held Hermione's hand.

Hermione tried to say no, but couldn't. Her breathing was coming in short gasps, and she felt herself growing dizzy.

Minerva patted her hand. "Nonsense, dear, you're hurt, you need the hospital w..." Minerva felt Hermione's hand go limp in hers, and looked into her face to see she had passed out.

She summoned a stretcher and cast the spell to send Hermione floating along ahead of her as she made her way to the hospital wing. When she arrived there, Poppy came rushing over to her. "Minerva what on earth has happened?"

"I don't know, Poppy, she didn't want to tell me.." Minerva replied quietly as she ushered the stretcher to a hospital bed, levitated Hermione until she was just above the hospital bed and carefully lowered her again. "She was at the top of the stairs, so I don't think she fell... Professor Grint didn't tell me what had happened, only that a student requested my urgent assistance.." She frowned, as Madam Pomfrey began a cursory examination of Hermione.

Poppy checked Hermione's breathing, which now that she had passed out was no longer gasping, but had grown shallow and rapid. She listened carefully to Hermione's chest, and frowned. She parted Hermione's robe and lifted her shirt, gasping at the already dark purple bruising that had blossomed across Hermione's stomach and chest. "She's been beaten, Minerva..look, these are from the impact of a fist..."

Minerva gasped. "Who could've...who would've...?" She looked up questioningly at Poppy, stunned that Hermione, generally well liked by most of her peers, should have been attacked in such a manner.

Poppy only shook her head. "They were quite brutal.." She answered, as she began casting spells to locate and heal the sources of the bruises, listening after each one to Hermione's breathing. At last, she looked up, a deep scowl on her face. "I've healed all but the worst...spells don't heal broken bones...that will require a healing potion...we'll have to wake her."

"Broken bones, Poppy?"

"Yes, Minerva, her ribs, at least two.." She lifted her wand and cast "Ennervate" over Hermione, and waited for the girl to respond.

Minerva watched anxiously as Hermione's eyes fluttered open. "nnnnnnnhh..." She moaned, looking from side to side. It took her a moment to remember what had happened, and once she did, her face crumpled into tears. "Please don't tell my mum and dad...please...?" She whimpered, hiding her face in her hands.

Poppy tsked, and with a glance to Minerva left to fetch the bone mending potion.

Minerva sat on the edge of the bed, the weight of the elderly woman lowering the mattress a little and causing Hermione's body to slide a little toward her. She noticed with some astonishment how Hermione flinched away from her. "Hermione, what has happened? Who hurt you?"

Hermione shook her head again, biting her lower lip. "I fell...it was an accident.." She mumbled through her hands. "I'm clumsy, I fall all the time.." She added as an afterthought when McGonagall looked at her askance.

"Hermione, you and I both know that's not true. Madam Pomfrey says your bruises are from someone hitting you, and...well...it's not impossible in our world, but still highly unlikely for you to fall upstairs... " Minerva let her voice trail off.

"I don't want to talk about it, Professor." Hermione pouted, looking away from the one teacher she never thought she'd ever not want to talk to.

Professor McGonagall sat up straighter. "I shall have to call the headmaster, Hermione. He needs to be notified, and the student or students who did this to you needs to be dealt with.."

"NO!" Hermione gasped, sitting up roughly. "Ahhh.." She cried, falling back against the pillow holding her chest as if it pained her.

"Hermione, I will not tolerate violence between the students of Hogwarts, and neither will Professor Dumbledore." Minerva wisked out her wand and cast a spell, sending a silver orb out the door of the hospital ward.

Madam Pomfrey returned carrying a vial of liquid that shimmered in the light as she neared the bed. "Hermione, drink this up, it will help your ribs heal.."

"M-m-my ribs?" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the healer questioningly.

"Yes dear, I was able to heal the worst of the bruising with spells, but I cannot mend bone with the wave of wand, that requires a vial of this stuff, and a good night's rest."

Dumbledore was at the door of the room as Poppy finished speaking.

Hermione took the vial and drank it, then lay back on the bed, turning her face away from the adults in the room, setting her jaw stubbornly, intent on not looking at them.

Minerva reached a hand out, touching Hermione's hand reassuringly, but Hermione only winced and pulled her hand away. It was then that Minerva saw the redness around her wrists where the ropes had bound her.

"Please tell us, so we can help you, so we can prevent this from happening again?"

Hermione remained silent as Dumbledore approached.

Dumbledore's footsteps were nearly silent as he made his way between the beds to the one where Poppy and Minerva were with Hermione. He came to stand at the foot of Hermione's bed, and looked first at Poppy, then Minerva, and lastly at Hermione. He could see in her the same stubborn streak he saw in his beloved Minerva, the dearest of his dear friends. He could see that she was resigned not to talk about whatever had happened right now, and that whatever it was, pained her beyond the physical.

He spoke, his voice rich, and soft. "Hermione, my girl, get some rest, we will talk in the morning.."

He beckoned to Minerva, who looked at him in astonishment. "Surely Professor..."

"Minerva, let her sleep, Poppy will keep a close watch on her and see her on her way to wellness. Come, I wish to tell you about the lemondrops I purchased in what is called a 5&10 in muggle shops in America...they were strawberry lemon..." his voice faded as he walked away


	3. Chapter 3: Tomorrow

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! Please keep them coming! They are what is making me feel like continuing with this story..I have two others I'm working on that I like more, but this one is getting better responses.

Chapter 3: Tomorrow

Minerva patted Hermione's leg gently before rising and following after Albus Dumbledore in a daze of confusion and surprise. Surely he would want to get to the bottom of this as fast as possible? She came up beside him as he continued to walk the corridor back toward his private chambers, hearing he was still mid-stride in talking about the strawberry lemondrops. She scowled, causing stern lines to wrinkle her brow. "Albus, do you think it wize to leave the girl in such a state?"

"are absolutely delicious..." He finished before he looked over at her, almost as if surprised she had joined him. "Oh, Minerva, well, I don't know...it's so much easier with Harry than with the other students, for me to see what is happening with him. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and his emotions on his face. Hermione...much of what I see in her face is fear just now, and the last thing I want is to push a child who is afraid, but she will face her fears again tonight, I believe... whatever trauma she has received goes deeper than the surface and will take time, and compassion, and patience, yes, Minerva, patience above all.

He smiled, his twinkling eyes saddened by the pain he had seen in Hermione's face, in the way she had pulled her body away from them. "Give her a little time to heal, and perhaps once the physical pain has eased, the emotional pain will begin to heal as well. I will speak to her in the morning."

"Very well, Albus...I'll say goodnight then." Minerva, still frowning concernedly, bid the headmaster farewell at the stone gargoyle and headed for her own chambers.

Hermione was one of Minerva's dearest students- the girl had often come to her after classes to discuss subjects ranging from peers to class subjects, to her own personal life and how her parents were doing at home without her. She had often suffered home-sickness she'd been too shy to share with her friends, and had shared concerns about her friends, mainly Ron and Harry, when they'd come too close to trouble.

As Minerva settled into her evening routine, she thought back to one of the first evening visits that Hermione had paid to her.

_Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk in her empty classroom just minutes before the supper bell was to ring. A stack of papers from her last class stood to her right waiting to be graded, while those she had already corrected stood neatly to her left. Her quill scratched out an "A" for acceptible on Hermione Granger's first essay of the year. She smiled to herself as she imagined Hermione's face when she saw the grade. Hermione Granger reminded her much of herself when she was a first year. The girl was sweet, but very shy. She was a bookworm, the sort of girl who aimed to please teachers, but took a while to make friends among those her own age. Though, if Minerva was right, once she made those friends they would be the best of friends. _

_Minerva sighed as she reached for the next paper, only to pause half way when she heard a knock on the door. "Enter." She said sternly, as she looked up toward the portal and waited to see who had come. Usually this was the time when sixth and seventh year students came to discuss their work, but instead she saw the buck toothed-bushy haired girl she'd been thinking of only moments before. "Yes, Miss Granger?" She asked softly, as she reached for the next paper to correct. _

_Hermione walked toward her desk and the imposing Transfigurations teacher slowly. "Well, you see, I wanted to ask you if you could tell me why we weren't allowed on the third floor? You see, I didn't read anything about any dangers to students on the third floor while I was reading "Hogwarts, A History." So..._

_She let her voice trail off as her eyes met Minerva's._

_Minerva shook her head. "I am sorry Miss Granger, but the headmaster did not choose to disclose such information, so neither shall I. Be on your way to supper then._

_But Hermione stood there nervously. "Well, you see, I heard some of the other first years talking about it, and I'm afraid they'll try to find out what it is..."_

_Minerva, beginning to lose her patience shook her head. "It is none of your concern, and those students shall be punished if they trespass on the third floor corridor." She rose from her desk and ushered Hermione to the door. "T'is suppertime, best you get on your way." _

_She sighed as Hermione looked over her shoulder as she started down the hall, her lip quivering at being sent away without the answers she so desired. How she longed to tell her, to keep Harry from getting in trouble, for she'd seen the three, recently growing closer together and assumed (_And I was right, wasn't I?) _that she'd been talking about Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley . She knew that Harry, Hermione and Ron would eventually be the best of friends, even though just now they were on touchy ground. _

"And I was right about that too...though I never would have guessed they'd all go down the trap-door..." She thought to herself alarmingly. The trio had a reputation at this point in doing things that they should not, before anyone realized what they were up to. She wondered if Harry or Ron knew anything about the current events, what had happened to Hermione tonight. She would speak to them in the morning, she decided as she struggled to focus on the stack of papers waiting on an end table beside her comfy chair. She needed to pass these essays back tomorrow too. Tomorrow, she felt, was already a long day.


	4. Chapter 4: Early Morning

A/N: For those who are wondering, aside from the attack on Hermione, this will essentially be Canon, although since much of it will be side story stuff, it's hard to say it's 100% Canon, but I will not change the facts that we already know, to the best of my ability. Thanks to those who have reviewed! Please Keep reading and reviewing!-TR

Chapter 4:

Professor McGonagall sat down softly on the edge of the hospital bed, hesitantly touching the hand of the restless sleeper who lay there. "Hermione?" She asked, trying to wake the girl from the uneasy sleep. "Hermione, dear.. wake up." 

Finally the young witch opened her eyes, looking about in fear before her eyes settled on the deputy headmistress. "Professor?"

"Hmm?" Minerva fussed with the blankets, settling them around Hermione neatly.

The girl looked up at her teacher, a woman she had greatly admired since she'd first come to Hogwarts nearly three years ago. She wanted to tell her what had happened, wanted to tell, so that Malfoy would get his just desserts, but she was afraid to tell, of what would happen to Ron and Harry when they retaliated, as she was sure they would. Instead, she leaned back on her pillow, releived that the pain of her bruises and broken bones had already lifted, and all that remained was the emotional hurt... the fear that welled up in her each time she thought back to the attack.

"Hermione, can you tell me what happened?" Minerva asked softly, her hazel eyes looking into Hermione's with concern, and a desire to bring her attacker(s) to justice.

"I'm...not sure I...I..." She stammered. She gulped, fighting down the urge to throw off the blankets and run out of the room. She took a deep breath and half gasping half whispering said "I was attacked... beaten...r...r..." She couldn't finish it, she shook her head, fussing with the blankets herself, staring at her wrists, at the perfect skin there, so recently chafed raw by rope and miraculously healed by magic.

So much was different here in this world of magic. In the muggle world, such wounds would have taken weeks, months to heal completely, but here they were gone in a trice. Why did the magical community not use those skills to heal the muggles? Why didn't they open hospitals for muggles who could easily be cured and saved time and trouble... Her face grew red with her thoughts of such injustice, and she clutched at the folds of the blankets under her white knuckled hands.

She was brought back from her moment of distraction by Minerva patting her hand. "Who attacked you Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head fervently. "No...no...I c-c-can't...I won't say..." She pulled the blankets up around her defensively.

Minerva pulled her hands back at the first sign of distress from her student, dropping them into her lap and resisting the urge to reach out and rest a comforting hand on her shoulder, or to smooth her hair and try to calm her. "We do not tolerate violence in our school, Hermione, and the student, or students, who beat you need to be punished.."

Looking up, she saw Harry and Ron entering the ward, and after a word with Madam Pomfrey they came toward the duo, Ron leaning toward Harry as if to share a concern, and when Harry shrugged Ron frowned. They came to stand awkwardly beside Hermione's bed.

She looked from them to Professor McGonagall anxiously, not sure who she'd rather face at the moment.

"Hermione! Are you alright? Professor Dumbledore told us you were here.. what happened?" Ron was the first to speak, and Harry settled in a chair opposite Hermione. Outwardly there did not appear to be anything wrong with her, so he was somewhat confused.

Minerva looked from Hermione to the boys, her eyes coming to rest on Ronald's face, etched in concern. "Miss Granger has..."

"Please, Professor, can I talk to them alone?" Hermione's voice, weak and unsure, interrupted hers.

Minerva looked somewhat taken aback by the interuption but nodded. "Very well, yes. I'll be talking with Madam Pomfrey if you need me."


	5. Chapter 5: Nightmare

Chapter 5

A/N: I was asked if this was a Draco/Hermione story or a McGonagall/Hermione story... well, I guess the truth is it's a Hermione story, really. But since Draco is the villain, I figured he's a major character in the story. I'm not sure how much more of a roll he will play...I kind of come up with the story as I go. Your reviews often lead me in one direction or another, so please feel free to suggest events, character involvement, etc, and advice is always welcome (I swear I take constructive criticism well!). Please Read and Review!

The deputy headmistress rose from the chair, her robes billowing around her thin figure as she made her way over to Poppy's desk, glancing back over her shoulder to see Ronald taking her recently vacated chair.

As Ron settled down beside Hermione, the girl sniffled, raising a hand to wipe away the tears that threatened to flood from her already red eyes. She fought the urge to tell them both to go away, knowing that she should try to tell them what had happened.

Harry tilted his head slightly to the side, the low light of the hospital ward glinting off his glasses as he looked at her. "Hermione?" He asked, the fullness of his question behind the tone of his voice.

With a deep breath, she looked up at him, squinting her eyes slightly, her voice quivering. "Madame Pomfrey already healed them...the bruises...I...w...w..." Her breath caught in her throat and it took her a moment to continue. "..I... was attacked by some students.. coming back to the dormitory last night." She resolved to give them the facts, the barest necessity...hoping they would not ask the question she knew they were bound to. "I had a lot of bad bruises, and some broken bones, but well...you know Madame Pomfrey can heal those in minutes, Harry, so...really I'm fine.."

Harry and Ron had both clenched their fists the minute she'd said the word attack, but both, seeing the difficulty with which she spoke had refrained from the urge to jump up, demand the identity of the attackers and storm off to give them what for. Instead, they remained beside her, their faces betraying their anger, but their stillness surprising Hermione.

Ron was the one to ask the dreaded question, the one she knew she would not...could not..answer. His voice was quiet, but full of eagerness to know, so that he could swiftly deliver justice. "Who attacked you, Hermione?"

She shook her head, her breath catching again, as she sucked air in that didn't seem to want to go into her lungs. "I...ca...can'..."

"Look, Hermione, just tell us who did this, and we'll go take care of them.." Ron said insistantly, his voice low and his fists clenched as he leaned toward her. Harry nodded fervently, with a cautious glance toward McGonagall and Pomfrey who were watching the trio but were too far away to hear exactly what was being said.

'No!" Hermione exclaimed, earning a frown from McGonagall that Harry saw as he turned back to her. "Why Hermione?"

"Don't you see? I don't want you to be expelled from school...not for me. No...I'm not saying...it's no one's business but mine anyway.." She looked sulkily down at her hands. There, she'd decided not to tell, and she wouldn't. Not even Ron and Harry. Not even Professor McGonagall. Not even...defintely not, her parents.

Harry shook his head. "That's bloody crazy, Hermione. You can't let whoever did this get away with it."

She was about to open her mouth to reply, but heard the first bell ring for classes. She waited until the chiming had done. "It's time for Care of Magical Creatures, you'd better go. Hagrid will wonder why you're late." She said, crossing her hands over her chest and laying back on her pillow, as if declaring the discussion done.

"Nutters.." Ron mumbled as he rose from his chair and the pair walked out of the ward.

McGonagall sighed and followed them out into the corridor. She had a class with some seventh years this morning.

At last, Hermione was alone. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, already worn out form the morning's interrogation. As she fell deeper into sleep, she relaxed into her pillow.

_Draco's face floated above her in the half-light of the moonlit room as he pushed himself into her over and over, her hands tightly bound so that she could not push him off as he sneered at her. She tried to pull away from him as he groped at her breasts and her thighs. When he finished, she cried out at the brutal thrust that emptied him warmly into her. _

Suddenly she was sitting up in the bed, her breath coming in short gasps, as Madame Pomfrey hurried over to her side, calling softly to her "It's okay Hermione, you're safe..you're safe.."


	6. Chapter 6 Released from the ward

A/N: Sorry for the delay. My y key broke, and I've had a very busy week. Here's Chapter 6! Just a reminder, I don't own them!

Chapter 6: Leaving the Ward

Madame Pomfrey sat on the edge of the bed holding Hermione as she sobbed on her shoulder. "Shhh, it's alright, dear, you're safe." She whispered into Hermione's ear as she stroked her hair comfortingly.

When Hermione finally stopped sobbing into Poppy's shoulder, she took a deep breath and hiccuped.

"There you are." Poppy said, puffing Hermione's pillow and offering a soft smile, even though Hermione flinched away from her when she patted her shoulder.

"Thank you." Hermione whispered. Clearing her throat, she asked "When can I leave? When can I go back to classes?"

"Poppy looked slightly surprised, but, with a shrug, she said replied. "Your wounds are healed, dear, you can go whenev-"

"Ah, Madam Pomfrey.." Interrupted a soft, kind voice. "If I may speak with Miss Granger a moment?"

Hermione looked up to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway of the ward, his hands clasped behind his back, his spectacles glinting in the light. She felt herself cringe, knowing that of all the people who could coax her into saying what she wished to keep hidden, Albus Dumbledore would be most likely.

Madam Pomfrey bowed her head. "Of course, headmaster." She smiled reassuringly to Hermione and walked back to her desk where she sat down and began reading a scroll.

Professor Dumbledore sat down in one of the vacant chairs beside her bed. He took a moment to observe the ward's other beds, all of which were currently empty, before turning his attention to her. "Miss Granger, I trust you were able to rest well, and that you are feeling better?"

The red bushy hair bobbed up and down, followed by a soft "Yes, Sir."

He nodded, removing a package of lemon drops from his pocket. "I can't get enough of these hard candies, would you care for one?"

"N..No Sir." She replied, smoothing the blankets around her legs. "I..really just want to get back to classes, I don't want to fall behind sir."

The headmaster nodded. "I shall retain you only a moment, Hermione. I simply wished to check in on you, and to see if you wished to discuss the events of last night in any further detail..?"

Hermione bit her lower lip, shaking her head father fervently. "No, Sir. I'd rather not."

"I do not wish to push you, when you are not ready to discuss it, but I do urge you to consider the possibilty that whoever did this may do it to another student, Miss Granger."

Hermione shook her head again though. "No, I don't think so sir..."

He raised his brows, surprised that she should think it was not a possibility, but as though satisfied with what little information she had given, he rose. "Well then, I shall let you get on with your day. I am sure your classmates are looking forward to seeing you at lunch. If you wish to talk, I like sherbet lemon." He smiled, and walked away, leaving behind a somewhat confused Hermione.

She shook off her confusion and rose from hospital bed, pulling the curtain around so she could change into the fresh set of robes laid out for her. When she had dressed, she opened the curtain and strode with more confidence than she felt toward Madam Pomfrey. "I'm ready to go, please?"

Poppy looked up at Hermione, glad to see some of her old confidence had returned. "Very well Miss Granger, it is just about lunch time. I am sure Misters Weasley and Potter will be anxiously awaiting you at lunch in the great hall."

Hermione nodded, and left the hospital wing, making her way toward the great hall struggling between excitement to be out of the hospital wing and returning to her friends and classmates, and anxiety over the possibility that Draco Malfoy would be in the great hall, just a few tables over, and she was not sure she was ready to see him just yet.

She paused on the threshold into the great hall, and with a nervous glance at the Slytherin table she walked quickly to Ron and Harry who waited for her, keeping a seat between them for her to sit. She fought the urge to look over her shoulder to look more closely for the blond haired boy who had taken advantage of her.

Ron rubbed her back for a moment as she settled down, but neither of them said anything, and she was grateful that the expected barrage of questions did not come, right now, she just wanted things to be normal. She looked at the food on the table though and felt her stomach turn at the thought of eating, so instead she looked up at the head table to see who was there, noting without surprise that Dumbledore was not there, but as her eyes travelled the table they locked with Professor McGonagall's stern gaze, and Hermione quickly looked away. "So, how were classes this morning? What did I miss?"


	7. Chapter 7: Realization

A/N: Hey all. So this story is going a little slower than I'd like... but I'm hoping to sort of speed things up a bit here in this chapter. Hope you don't mind!

Chapter 7:

Up at the head table, Minerva McGonagall watched Hermione's return from the hospital ward to her friends with curiosity. She observed as her student glanced at the Slytherin table, and her own prejudice against those students flared up, wondering if one of Snapes house had hurt Hermione. When Hermione's gaze met Minerva's, she was sure that there was something more, something Hermione had left unsaid. Minerva's stomch turned at the thought, the realization that it might have been more than just a beating.. but surely Hermione would have said something? Or Poppy would have found something?

She resolved to speak with Poppy after classes that afternoon. For now, she finished the meal, listening halfheartedly to the conversation between Madam Hooch and Hagrid about the flying conditions for the next quidditch match and leaving her plate of food untouched.

Later that afternoon Minerva walked into Poppy's office inside the hospital wing, wringing her hands anxiously. When she saw Madam Pomfrey, she tried to smile, but struggled with it, after all, this was not pleasant business, what she'd come to discuss. She started pacing back and forth, an action she had obviously not been alone in, justing by the wear in the carpet where she walked. "Poppy, I wanted to talk to you... about Miss Granger. It occured to me...I mean...that is to say...I wondered..."

"Spit it out Min." Poppy said, looking up into her face, trying to read where she was going with this.

Minerva took a deep breath, gripping the back of the chair she'd paced around a moment before. Her knuckles were white as she clenched the chair back, her eyes locking onto Poppy's intensely. "It occured to me that Miss Granger may have been so reluctant to talk because she was more hurt than we knew...is it possible...I mean, was there any evidence... that she was hurt...uhm...sexually?"

Poppy leaned back in her chair. She had not suspected so, but as she thought in hindsight, there had been bruises on Hermione's legs that, on reflection, could have been left by being held, and the red around Hermione's wrists had caught her attention, but both could be explained by the beating. "I cannot say without hesitation that she was not _ahem_ raped, but if it had been the girl's first time, there normally would have been more evidence, blood, you know..? Hermione didn't say anything about it to me, or to Albus while he was here. She refused to give names, and of that, I am certain. There was evidence that there was more than one person..at least one person holding while the other hit her."

"So what do I do? How do I find out who attacked her? I want to make sure it doesn't happen again. Obvoiusly we can't have students run around pell-mell and ra...r...abusing each other.."

Poppy leaned forward, her eyes meeting Minerva's with sympathy. "I don't want to see another girl come through those doors looking like Hermione did last night either, but there's nothing we can do. To push her might cause her to withdraw, become depressed, increase her anxiety and cause her severe harm. Likewise, acting as if nothing has happened is not possible. The best thing you can do for now at least is to watch, and wait. Keep an eye on her, let her know you're there for her. When she's ready, she will talk."

Minerva sighed. "Oh, Poppy, a little girl should never have to go through something like that.."

"No, she shouldn't. But Hermione Granger is a brave young lady. She will overcome this and come out the stronger for it." Poppy shook her head, leaning back against her chair once again.

Minerva was about to open her mouth to speak when one of the fifth years entered the hospital wing.

"Professor Sprout sent me.." She said, holding out an arm that was covered in blisters. Poppy stood up at once and walked over to examine the arm.

Professor McGonagall changed her mind, and with a "I'll talk to you later, Poppy." She headed out into the corridor and made her way back toward her own office to finish the mountain of paperwork that just seemed to keep getting bigger.


	8. Chapter 8: Overheard

A/N: For those wondering, no, this is not a MMHG Ship fanfic. I'm not a fan of that pairing, really. But as Hermione's head of house, I feel that Minerva would have taken the shy eager learner under her wing and looked after her with a motherly quality. Sorry for the delay, writer's block, you know! Please read and review! Your reviews keep me going!

Chapter 8: Overheard

The next couple of days were filled with concerned questions from Ron and Harry. Hermione took to spending less time with them, opting to study instead of walking the grounds in their small group. Her work became her number one priority, and she immersed herself even more than usual in her studies.

She could often be seen fast asleep leaning over a book in the common room of the Gryffindor tower, which is where Minerva found her late one night when checking to ensure lights were out. She had stepped through the portrait to find the room nearly empty, but the house elves, who usually waited until all was clear, had not been to tidy up the room. With a frown, she looked closer around the room, to see the firelight flickering on Hermione's cheek as she slept.

With a soft pace, she made her way toward the sleeping student, growing concerned when she heard Hermione begin to whimper in her sleep, her hand twitching nervously as she cried, as if she would fend off someone.

Minerva's heart ached. She reached her hand out to wake Hermione from her bad dream, only to have Hermione gasp, and sit up straight, looking around in alarm before Minerva had touched her. Their eyes met, and for a moment horror showed on Hermione's face before it crumpled into tears.

The deputy head-mistress pulled the crying girl into her arms softly. "There there, girl, it's alright. You're safe now." She softly stroked Hermione's hair, rocking her back and forth until Hermione's sobbing stopped, and her breathing became more regular.

Hermione pulled away, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "T'was a bad dream.." She mumbled, turning to pick up her books.

Minerva frowned, but nodded. "Yes, just a bad dream.." She reassured her star pupil, before Hermione walked off toward the tower dormitory. "Hermione, if you need me, for anything? "

Hermione only nodded, dashing up the steps quickly, leaving a heart-broken Minerva behind, wondering just how badly the emotional trauma had gone.

As more days passed, friends of Hermione Granger noticed that she became more withdrawn. She talked to few people, and where she used to be the last student out of the classroom after a class, staying behind to chat with a teacher about the day's lesson, she became the first student to rush out the door. One could often find her in the girls' bathroom sniffling and pacing between classes.

Harry often had to hunt her down in the library because she was avoiding Ron in the common room, after he'd gotten angry with her over her cat attacking his pet rat, Scabbers.

Minerva watched as the relationship between Ron and Hermione grew strained, that they seemed to avoid each other more and more, and she wondered if Mr. Weasley had had something to do with Hermione's beating, but she struggled with the idea of that, knowing how close they had been, and that Harry would have said something by now, surely. She made a point of stopping Harry on his way into her classroom alone one morning to ask if he knew what had come between them, and Harry shrugged. "Her cat attacked Rons' rat." He continued on to his seat, and she to her desk to begin the day's lesson.

Two weeks from the night of the attack, Professor McGonagall had left her classroom, and while glancing over the stack of papers she carried in her hands overheard the school librarian talking to another teacher ahead of her.

Madam Pince told Professor Sprout that she had noticed one of the students had out the book on Magical Pregnancies, and intrigued, Minerva listened more closely, keeping a pace behind.

"Which student?" Pamona Sprout inquired.

Madam Pince replied with some excitement, "That Hermione Granger!"

"Oh! I never would have thought it of her...she's always got her nose in books.."

With a "tsk, tsk." Madam Pince shook her head. "Apparently not always. Never would have thought it of a Hogwarts' student... never had that trouble before, what with the protection on the dormitories and all."

"Well, there are plenty of other places, we shoud alert the rest of the staff. If Hermione Granger could get herself into such trouble, it's likely she's not the only one. A word to Severus, maybe, on introducing contraceptive potions? "

'Tut, tut. What a shame. So young, so smart...such a waste." Madam Pince said as they turned a corner, going off in a direction Minerva did not intend to go.

With a sigh, she continued on to her office, where she closed the door and collapsed into her chair. Apparently she needed to have a chat with Miss Granger, and soon.


	9. Chapter 9: Out With It

A/N: And...here it is... please read and review! Sorry for the delay, I have had a major case of writer's block.

Chapter 9: Out with it.

Hermione was sitting, curled up on a small bench in the girl's lavatory, when Lavender Brown walked in after the second morning class and stood in front of the mirror to touch up her make-up. She turned around when she saw Hermione crying on the bench. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing.." Hermione lied, pulling her knees in tighter to her chest. "I'm fine." She said, looking back toward the window.

"Well, Professor McGonagall asked me to have you come to her office after classes tonight. She said it was important."

"Yeah, okay." Hermione replied without turning back to look at Lavender. She didn't want her to see the tears streaked on her cheeks, or the puffiness of her eyes from crying.

After waiting a moment, Lavender shrugged and left the room, leaving Hermione alone again.

She sat there a while longer, then got up from her seat to pace. She had waited, the past week and a half for her period to start, but it hadn't. She'd never felt the cramps that usually came with it either. concerned, she'd gone so far as to take a book off the shelf in the library about magical pregnancies. Could she, at 13, have conceived a child with that...that monster? And if she had? She glanced down at her stomach and burst into a fresh round of tears. Could she ever love the baby? No, she didn't think so... _I'd have to put it up for adoption, I think...I'm too young to be a mother!" _ She thought to herself as she continued pacing. 10 days late, when she'd always been right on schedule, but the book had informed her that in the beginning, magical pregnancies were much like muggle pregnancies, and there were few changes to the body except for the lack of a period, and nausea which would start usually around the end of the first trimester. She still didn't know. There was a spell, but it was above a 3rd year level, that could be performed to determine whether or not she was expecting, but it was beyond her ability to cast the spell. The best she could do was wait it out. _A baby...crying, laughing, sleeping... _She thought back to the summer when she had helped the neighbor with their newborn son, a sweet snuggly ball of angelic pudge...

And surely, she thought to herself, her grades had been slipping, as distracted as she was. That must be what professor McGongall wished to discuss. She stopped pacing when the bell rang for the first afternoon class. Pulling her bag onto her shoulder, she made her way out into the corridor, moving along with the trickling stream of students on their way to their own classes.

Minerva wrung her hands, trying to focus her eyes on the essay in front of her, the parchment rolled out on the table with paper weights holding the corners down so she could read without holding it. But her eyes kept straying toward the door as she awaited the soft knock that should have come ten minutes ago. _Oh, honestly... _She thought to herself, as she read another inch of the essay on the transfiguration of animate to animate objects, or the transformation of a rat into a crow, for example. It proved more frustrating than anything, and finally she stood up and moved to stand by the window, looking out over the grounds to calm herself. The last thing she needed was to be peeved when Hermione walked in. This was, after all, a delicate matter.

Hermione walked slowly, her steps faltering as she debated whether or not to answer the summons, until at last she stood outside the dimly lit office, cande lights flickering from the side of the room where Professor McGonagall's desk stood. She raised her left hand and knocked softly, then waited for the command to enter.

When the professor's voice came, it was low, creaky as if she too struggled with nerves over this meeting.

Hermione twisted the knob of the door and pushed the door open. Despite the creakiness of the Professor's voice, the door itself swung open silently, and Hermione looked into see Professor McGonagall standing beside the large latticed window that looked out over the quidditch pitch. "You wished to see me, Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Granger, please, close the door, come, sit down." Minerva gestured toward the chairs that sat more comfortably around the fire which roared in the wall across from her office desk. The firelight flickered, combatting the candlelight for brightness and casting shadows on the bookshelves that lined the room. When Hermione moved to sit, Minerva moved too, coming to rest on the nearest chair. "How are you, Hermione?"

"I'm fine, Professor." Hermione said quickly, sliding a way from her teacher as if to put distance between them, until her body pressed up against the far arm of the chair.

Minerva noticed. "Some tea?" She asked, pulling her wand from her robes, hoping to ease Hermione into the conversation to come.

"Um...sure, I guess." Hermione replied, glancing at the wand, and then to the fire, folding her hands in her lap, then wringing them in much the same way Minerva had before her arrival.

Minerva summoned a tea service, steaming with fresh tea. She poured out two cups. "Sugar? Creamer?" She asked, waiting for the reply and then adding the lump of sugar for the child before handing the saucer and tea cup to her.

"Thank you." Hermione said, holding the saucer carefully, lifting the cup to her lips to sip the sweetened brew.

When Hermione had replaced the cup on the saucer, Minerva set hers down on the tea tray which sprouted legs between them. "I asked for Miss Brown to send you to me this evening because I had overheard some rather distressing rumours, and wished to...verify." Minerva watched Hermione carefully, observing the slightest shift in facial features, a twitch of her jaw muscle as Hermione fought the urge to deny whatever rumours were being spread without hearing them.

"How can I help, professor?" She said politely, her voice wavering between the usually helpful voice the student often used, and the anxious voice she'd developed in the past few weeks.

"I was walking down the corridor the other evening when I overheard someone discussing your library viewing habits, dear."

"Wha...what do you mean?" Hermione asked, her grip on the tea cup tightening, her knuckles whitening as she squirmed mentally and fought the urge to do so physically.

"Hermione, I may be an old, cranky teacher, but I have noticed quite a change in you in the past few weeks, since the night...well...I have wondered whether more happened than you let on, and now, I'm quite concerned."

Hermione's shaking hands set the cup down, then moved quickly to clutch at the cloth of the chair's seat. "I'm fine." She said, pushing herself to her feet, not ready for this confrontation.

Minerva was not willing to let Hermione leave until she had answers. "Sit down, Hermione. "

"I should go...I..."

"Sit down, please." Minerva spoke slowly, but firmly.

"I have an essay I should start on for Potions, you know how quick Professor Snape is to deduct..." Hermione babbled, turning toward the door, every muscle in her body readying itself to jump for the door.

"Are you pregnant, Hermione?" Even Minerva was stunned the words had come out so brashly. She'd meant to encourage the girl to talk to her, not to force her to talk against her will, but anxiety was getting the better of the older woman, and she could not handle the wait. If Hermione had indeed been raped, then punitive measures must be taken against the boy or boys involved, and Hermione would need not only help handling the trauma, but also the potential child that would come of it, and what would the girl's parents say? She watched Hermione, the girl's body rigid in fear at facing the question.

"I..." Her voice quivering as she stood there, her hands clenched tightly as she tried to think, tried to answer.

"He did more than beat you."

"N...n...please, Professor..."

"Hermione, you need to tell me..."

Suddenly Hermione was a heap in the chair, shaking and sobbing as she accepted that she could no longer keep it bottled up. "Yes...he did more.." She sobbed, crying into her hands as she tried to hide her face in shame.

Minerva was up and beside her faster than anyone would have expected of the aging witch, kneeling beside Hermione like a woman half her age as she drew the child into her arms. "I'm so sorry...I'm sorry, Hermione. I did not wish to force it out of you, but I needed to know, and you needed to say it..."

"I..." Hermione sobbed into Minerva's shoulder. "I don't know...if I'm pregnant...I think I am...but...I..." Each pause was caused by wracking sobs as she struggled to say words she'd tried so hard not to think even when she was alone. "I...couldn't...cast the diagnostic spell..." She gasped, finally getting the words out through her tears.

"Shhh.." Minerva said, rocking her softly as she debated whether to cast the spell herself, or to call in Madame Pomfrey. "I can ask Madame Pomfrey to come cast the spell?" She offered, her voice low once more as she tried to speak reassuringly.

Hermione nodded into her shoulder as they rocked, and Minerva barely paused as she pulled her wand once more from her robe and cast the patronus that would summon Poppy to her office. It was off on its way in seconds, and Minerva continued to hold and rock Hermione, whispering "It's alright, everything's going to be alright, dear, I'll take care of you.." And as the words came out of her mouth she realized she would...she would do everything in her power to watch over Hermione, to protect her from any more harm.

Hermione had quieted by the time Poppy knocked on the door, and Minerva squeezed her shoulder as she called softly for her friend to enter the room. As the medi-witch walked over to where they sat, her expression was grim. "I know why I'm here, Minerva. Miss Granger.." She greeted quietly, to forestall the explanation as Min had opened her mouth to summarize as gently as possible without setting Hermione off again.

Hermione looked up, then turned her face once more into Minerva's shoulder, emitting no tears, but hiding her face; fearful of the results.

"It's alright, dear. Everything's going to be all right. Go ahead, Poppy."

Poppy removed her wand from her white robe and tapped it once on her palm before softly asking Hermione to sit up straight for a moment. When the girl complied, Poppy slowly moved the wand from Hermione's chest down. The student gasped, cringing against the tingling sensation that spread through her abdomen, but Poppy's face remained serious even as she withdrew the wand.

Minerva inhaled shakily, and when the breath came out, her eyes were on her favorite student's, watching, and waiting for Poppy to give the verdict to Hermione, though Minerva knew the spell and was familiar with the signs it gave for positive and negative.

Poppy replaced her wand in her robe, and then took Hermione's hands in her own. "You are not pregnant, Hermione. It is quite possible that the trauma of your attack has caused your cycle to be altered. It will return when your body is under less stress... "

Hermione's shoulders fell as she breathed a sigh of relief, one deep breath before the tears started afresh. "I was so afraid...what was I going to do? What if I had been pregnant...?" She mumbled into her palms again. "What if D-d-d...that monster'd gotten me pregnant?" She sobbed.

Minerva heard the stumble, but hesitated to push more just now. "He didn't, Hermione. You're not pregnant. But if you had been, rest assured that you have friends, people who care about you deeply. People who would take care of you. People who will take care of you. I am here for you, Hermione, if you ever need or want to talk, you have only to say so."

Poppy withdrew a bottle from her robe, a vial which she held out to Hermione. "I recommend a good night's sleep, dear. Rest on it, and I am sure you'll feel better in the morning for it. Dreamless sleep, my dear.." She said knowingly, sure that nightmares of the attack still plagued the girl by the dark circles under her tear-puffed eyes. "Minerva, why don't we take her up to the hospital wing, and let her sleep in there.." she turned to Hermione. "You'll have the ward to yourself, no roommates snoring or anything.."

Hermione nodded numbly as she drained the vial, and fumbled with the stopper before handing the empty container back to the medi-witch.

"Very well.." Poppy replied with a soft smile of reassurance.

A few minutes later they had her tucked soundly into the most comfortable cot, the curtain drawn around her bed and she was breathing the deep heavy breaths of the sleeping.

"Did she say who attacked her, Min?"

"No, Poppy, I considered myself lucky to get her to face the possibility that she might be pregnant...to admit that she'd been raped. I didn't want to push her."

"Probably for the best. Poor thing doesn't look like she's slept in a year. I will arrange to have her stay through the day tomorrow, Minerva, so I can ensure she gets three square meals into her. Doesn't look like she's eaten in a year either."

Minerva nodded. "I'll send notices to her peers so they do not worry or come looking for her."

With that, the two witches bade goodnight to eachother, and with much on their minds went off to their own beds, wondering which boy, or boys, among their students could have caused Hermione so much pain, and what they were going to do to prevent it from happening to another girl, if Hermione was not willing to say who it had been.


End file.
